The Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria is to collaborate with the Federal Ministry of Lands, Housing and Urban Development to provide affordable houses for Nigerians.
Head, corporate affairs of the bank, Mr Dauda Yusuf, stated this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria on Monday in Abuja, adding that the bank was working with the ministry to build houses for Nigerians at affordable prices.
“The FMBN has embarked on a ministerial housing pilot project to deliver affordable houses in 11 locations across the country,” he said.
He said that construction works were in advanced stages in most of the locations, while some in the FCT are due for inauguration by President Goodluck Jonathan.
Yusuf said that the houses would be allocated to Nigerian workers through a mortgage to be facilitated by the FMBN.
According to him, the houses would be allocated to workers who are contributors to the National Housing Fund scheme.
“The current management of FMBN is committed to Nigerian worker realising the dream of affordable houses.
“This is why it is partnering with all stakeholders, including workers, employers’ organisations and state governments to chart a way forward in the sector,” he said.
Yusuf said that the FMBN had evolved numerous innovations in the operations of the NHF scheme to enable it live up to its mandate of addressing the housing deficit in the country.
He urged states and other employers that were yet to contribute to the NHF to do so for the benefit of their workers.
Yusuf urged employers of labour to undertake prompt deduction and remittance of workers’ contributions to the NHF for effective operation of the scheme.
